So there’s more to working with Ski-Doo than just slaying powder all day, ya know! So this winter, BRP asked me to be a part of the Spring tour shows, talking to riders like you about my experiences with the new REV-XM Summit sleds.

Road Trip!

My partner Matt Mondek and I began our wicked road trip in Colorado and would work our way to Portland over 3 weeks. Our Ford Diesel 350 towed a massive 45-foot trailer housing a Summit X, Summit SP, two Freerides and the dreaded (SO heavy…) tMotion display! I am not the biggest of guys so it was awesome to watch Mondek tackle the T-Motion Display on his own as a challenge (Ha!).

We got a lot of questions about the 2013 Summits. Since I’m sure you have a lot of similar questions, I put together these answers to the most frequently asked questions when I was on tour:

Is the T-Motion Strong Enough?

YES! It is interesting to me how people always think stuff is going to break – like BRP engineers are constructing this stuff in their basement and releasing it directly to production… But seriously, the tMotion single-pivot is very strong. I’ve heard through my contacts in the sled biz that demo riders and pro like Dan Treadway, Rob Alford, and Heath Frisby have been just pounding these demo sleds and there have been no problems.

The show floor – where I heard it all this spring

Is the E-TEC 800R Motor Good?

This came from a lot of REV riders or early REV-XP riders. In a word, the 800R absolutely rips. (ed – that’s two words, Dave). If you have not ridden an E-TEC 800R yet, get on one. They are quieter, burn way less gas and oil, there’s no two-stroke smoking and they have MORE POWER!! No one else in the industry is doing this. The throttle response and control in tight situations will amaze you.

And the E-TEC 800R is very reliable. You might have heard there was an issue with some of these engines. Read a snowmobile forum and you’ll think it was EVERY one. But talk to BRP and they’ll tell you the field data showed it was less than 3%. Regardless, BRP wants to erase all doubts, so the 2013s will have a new piston design and all 2011s and 2012s will have them replaced under warranty when they reach around 1,000 miles.

Carvin BC pow on my REV-XM Summit

Why is it not lighter? The Polaris is 417…

I am a pint-sized dude and I spent the better part of 18 years racing human-powered sports where weight is everything. Believe me, no one is more weight sensitive than me. However, ride the new REV-XM Summit against any sled on the market and it will feel way lighter than any of them.

Why?

Even though many people initially thought the 8 inches further forward position would be a minor improvement, it puts the rider right at the central mass of the vehicle. This allows the rider to guide the sled where he or she chooses without much effort.

I’ve got more than 1,200 km on my REV-XM Summit. Believe me when I tell you that the number on the spec sheet does not reflect how it feels while riding. And you’re seeing the same comment from other riders.

And understand that one reason for some of the weight difference is the E-TEC technology – and once you ride one and experience the horsepower and throttle response, you’ll agree the small “weight penalty” is worth it.

WHY DOESN’T IT COME IN ALL-BLACK?!?!?!?!?!? (usually yelling at Matt or me)

Well, as we found out two days into our first tour, it does!! Ski-Doo was listening to customers!

Why does the sled not come with a temperature gauge?

Again, halfway through the tour, we realized it comes with a temp gauge from the factory! Yeah!

Why no two-stroke Turbo?

The changes seem small – but the results are HUGE!

THE number one question.

Adding 40 – 80 hp means more weight and complexity. Plus, you’ll be burning more fuel each day – and if you want to get to the full 80 hp, really expensive fuel that’s not available at every gas station.

Most people out there have families, jobs and when they go riding they just want to RIDE!

But if you really want to tear up the mountain, AeroCharger and Boondocker lead the way with amazing turbo systems that lots of the Doo freeriders and racers are using. Their systems are dialed, as they work closely with Ski-Doo. So the opportunity is there if you wanna go REALLY fast!

Where is my MuffPot going to go?

Yes, while the entire hood/headlight/console comes off in about 5 minutes with 4 bolts – making working on your sled super easy – you’ll have to come up with another solution for keeping your food warm. With all those creative guys out there in the aftermarket, I am sure someone will think of something over the long summer months!

Well, there you go. It was awesome meeting so many customers and dealers from all over. I’m sure you won’t take it personally that I’m glad to be home in BC, where we just received 13 ft. of snow over the last month. Even with those 1,200 km on my REV-XM, it just gets better and better.